


Love Distracts

by WaywardWinds



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, No trigger warnings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-29
Updated: 2014-07-30
Packaged: 2018-02-10 23:32:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2044383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WaywardWinds/pseuds/WaywardWinds
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As two suffer, they may find solace, and eventually acceptance, in one another.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> No trigger warning warnings will be posted, as they spoil the story. Characters will tagged as they appear. Geez I'm bad at titles. I own the characters not.

Darkness filled the spaces of the vehicle, the occasional flash of headlights breaking the gloom as the Hummer sped along the two-lane road. For once, Brienne Tarth was enjoying herself. Though the dance club her friends had practically dragged her along to definitely wasn't in her comfort zone, the drive back had been pleasant. With Renly and Loras singing along with the radio at the top of their lungs, laughing so unabashedly it was hard to resist getting sucked into the carefree mood. 

Sansa and Margeary had asked her along as well, but she’d turned them down with a “thanks, but no thanks.” Someone like her didn't belong with a room full of conventionally beautiful people. When Renly had insisted though, her resolve crumbled, and she came along. 

Her eyes flit over toward the handsome, black-haired man. His laughter was a peal among the music, clear and crisp and utterly joyful it warmed her from the inside out. He’d shown her kindness when she’d expected none, and though she’d already accepted the impossibility of… well, THEM, her stomach still fluttered at his grin, and she couldn't help but smile at his happiness.

When her attention returned to the road she noticed with a growing concern that the pair of headlights ahead seemed to be approaching faster than normal.

Positioned in the middle of the road.

*

“I’m not accepting,” Jaime said, agitation edging his tone, he was tiring of this conversation.

“You can’t be serious.” Replied Cersei matter-of-factly. He gave her a stony look. “You are.” She seemed genuinely surprised. “Where are your senses? This is the best offer you’re going to get. You should be grateful; father didn’t have to offer you this position. It’s your ticket out of this… place,” She gestured out the window, looking mildly disgusted at the vast fields of corn. “and back where you belong.” 

With you, that’s where I belong. But no, she’d gone on, married Robert, and thrown him to the curb. Instead he growled, “Tyrion is better suited to the position. Why don’t you ask him? He actually WORKS there.” He sped up the car, the faster they reached the airport, the better. 

Cersei scoffed. “We can’t have that imp representing the enterprise. It would be ruinous. Besides,” A perfectly manicured hand snaked across to rest on his thigh. “I need you, doesn’t that amount to something?”

His fingers clenched tight against the steering wheel in obvious tension, he stared at them, refusing to meet the gaze he knew would set his pulse racing.  
“Come back with me, Robert, he doesn’t satisfy, you’ve been gone so long.” Jaime heard the seat-belt click and felt her breath on his neck, felt her hand creep along until it cupped his groin. He squeezed his eyes closed, restraining the tempest of emotion. He battled between self-control and pulling over to give her the fuck he needed. He could physically feel his resolve weaken as she whispered.

“Whenever I ride him, I imagine it’s you beneath me, your cock-“

He only heard the start of her scream.

*

“SHIT!” Brienne reacted. Just before colliding with the smaller car she yanked the steering wheel to the right, deflecting a potential head-on. She felt the bite and crunch of steel scraping steel, and saw the significantly lighter car bounce off her hood before the hummer went speeding into the tree-line. 

Limbs invaded the vehicle in a scrape of metal, sending a cracked, yet whole, panel of glass that was the windshield onto the dashboard.

Pain flooded her face, and she saw nothing. 

*

Loras Tyrell crawled, lungs heaving, terrified, out the dark blue hummer and into the damp grass below. He struggled onto weak knees, and stood, knowing he had to act. 

He saw the other car, the hood a tangled mess of steel and glass, and the mangled body that lay just beyond. Breathing frantically, he moved to the driver side and pulled open the door.

He promptly turned and retched into the grass. 

Luckily his phone was unharmed in his pocket, and with shaky fingers he dialed three numbers.

“911, what’s your emergency?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter added early- the first was a bit short.

Brienne dreamt.

The night air was sharp against her skin, chilling whatever portions of skin rose from the warm, clear water as she swam. It was a rhythm as familiar as breathing, reach, dive, pull, lean, reach, dive, pull, lean. She crossed, parallel to the beach, swimming simply for the joy of it, until just as simply she ceased and floated.  
The moon illuminated the ripples that stretched across the calm water.

Her foot touched roughness, and she turned, startled, to see Renly, perched atop a tall rock that didn’t belong in the deep expanse. He stared too, at the distance, oblivious to her presence. 

“Renly?” 

He didn’t acknowledge her. 

Again, “Renly?” She began climbing the rock.

It was as if she didn’t exist. 

“Renly!” Her voice grew worried, and she grasped at whatever hold the stone provided. Her knees scraped along the unforgiving surface as her feet scrambled for purchase, and they bled. 

She grew frantic, and with another heave she reached the top. 

On her hands and knees she could think to do nothing else but watch him, that face filled with peace, staring at the moon.  
He leaned, suddenly boneless, and fell.

What sound resulted wasn’t a splash, it was a cacophony of screeching limbs and crunching metal, and her face began to bleed. The world faded to black.  
She felt so heavy, leaden, clear vision was suddenly something to work for. A dull pain stretched across her cheek, and she focused on that, dragging herself from sleep. 

Her body felt just as weighed as her mind, it took some effort to upright. She exhaled through her mouth and immediately regretted it, pain lanced through the left side of her face. Startled, she reached up, and tentatively inspected her face. Some sort of cloth patch, she decided. Several similar ones covered her face, though none of those pained her as much. She realized this was a hospital. What happened? She couldn’t remember how she’d gotten here. Loras She realized, Renly.  
Clumsily she fumbled for the call button

*

The paperwork seemed endless. The family business, Lannister enterprises, was essentially a jumble of other businesses bought out from whoever was unfortunate enough to be deemed useful to L.E.’s owner, Tywin Lannister. Riverrun Winery, Acorn logging, Casterly mining, the list goes on. Currently Tyrion Lannister, though the C.E.O.’s son, managed the paperwork that claimed these properties. A menial job, but one he did well.

It was during this paper pushing (signing off some final drafts that would purchase them Harrenhal inc.) that he received a phone call. He took it without a glance.  
“Yes?” He held it with his left and continued signing.

An upbeat, feminine voice sounded. “Hello, is this Tyrion Lannister?”

“Speaking.”

“This is Sacred Heart Hospital calling to inform you that a family member-“The sound of shuffling paper. “Jaime Lannister, has you as an emergency contact.” That got his attention, he lowered his pen. “Has been admitted into our emergency ward and is currently in surgery. We’ll need you to come and sign some paperwork as soon as possible. Have a nice day.” She gave the address, and hung up with a click. 

Tyrion lowered the phone, paused to collect himself, shouted an expletive, and waddled out his office. He had a flight to plan, apparently. Dammit Jaime.

*

Renly was dead

The same tree that had carved the flesh off her face like a slice of deli meat had impaled him through the chest. He was dead before the paramedics even arrived. Loras sat before the bed, head hung low, sobbing. Brienne herself felt as if she were the one stabbed. 

She laid there, stunned. “He’s dead.” Loras sobbed harder. “He’s, Renly’s…” She cried now, as she made his death reality with her words. “H-he’s.”

Loras reached out for her arm, and buried his face into the bedside, back heaving. She held him back, and there in that one moment, in the acknowledgement of their love’s death, they mourned together. 

*

Tyrion arrived on Tarth a day later, a discreetly as possible. A bit futile, he knew, Tywin would no doubt note his younger son’s sudden leave. Long ago he and Jaime made an agreement, what father didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. That included Tyrion’s habit of whores, and Cersei and Jaime’s intimacy. 

Ever since Robert and Cersei’s marriage Jaime had become aloof. He’d never told him the reason for moving out the island city, but it wasn’t hard to deduce. A chasm had opened up between the twins, and it would only grow wider. 

The hotel he found was close to the hospital and, ironically, a scenic beach. He’d taken vacation time to come here, and Tarth certainly qualified as such. He settled in the small room. Varys would take care of insurance matters, as was his job, so now all that was left was to wait until his brother woke.

*

“The guy’s sister’s dead. And he, uh, his arm” He made a cutting motion along his right arm, just below the elbow. “Completely crushed, pulped, they had to amputate.” Loras looked hollow, and sounded as such, but then again, she probably did too. “Fucking deserved it.” He mumbled. She made no comment, but didn’t agree. She’d been the one driving, and even if Mr. Lannister is technically the one at fault…

” I could have done more. He’s dead because of me, I couldn’t, I should have seen them.” She said, mostly to herself. She breathed in deep and sighed. The tears were gone, else she would have cried then and there again. Her father, Now Renly… 

Loras made no reply, but looked to the floor. After a bit stood. “Margaery’s picking you up tomorrow. She says to call when you’re ready.”  
She nodded in response.

“Take care, Brienne.” 

“You too.” 

And he left.

The Loras and her weren’t close, the only bond between them was Renly, so she understood his haste in leaving. It was kind of him to visit. The next they’d meet would probably be Renly’s funeral. Closed Casket, her heart sunk. 

What would she say? Could she even speak for him? Could she stand in front of his loved ones as a friend while she’d been responsible for his death? 

Impossibly, moisture beaded up again at her eyes.

She sighed and reached for a bottled water and a napkin.

She gulped it down and wiped her eyes. Deep breaths, she told herself, calm.

She wondered about the Lannisters. She didn’t know why exactly that he was speeding 80 miles an hour in the middle of the road, but she did know the result. Renly dead, his sister dead, and him down an arm. “Ridiculous…” She mumbled, wondering what was so important that a man played a hand in two deaths and a maiming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You fans are what inspire me! Thank you for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback is greatly appreciated! Hopefully there's more to come.


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